Board Meeting Minutes - February 13, 2020

Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization Board Meeting
February 13, 2020, 4:00pm
830 N Fair Circle, Palm Springs

The following board members/attendees were present: Scott Turner, Kevin Comer, Gustav Swanson (via phone), Sheila Cobrin, Sally Hightower Lippin, Mickey Puig (via phone), Kermit Ferrer, Rebecca May.

AGENDA

  • Introductions

  • Review / Approve Minutes from January Board Meeting (01/09/20) All

  • Review Action Items from January Board Meeting KFerrer

  • Review Post AGMM Activities

  • Treasury / Finance Report MPuig

    • December/January Report

    • Annual Budget

    • GoFundMe: Alexander STAR

  • MW2020 Update KFerrer

    • Tour Name: Vista Las Palmas: The Alexander’s Jewel in the Crown Designed by William Krisel and Charles Du Bois

    • Scheduled for Saturday, February 15th

    • Ticket Sales

    • Volunteer Status

  • Alexander STAR Dedication Event Update KFerrer

  • Social – Feb Recap Board

  • Next Social – March? KFerrer

  • One PS Update SCobrin/KComer

  • Communication Updates: GSwanson

    • VLPNO website

    • Next Door

    • Facebook

    • Email address KComer

    • HSPS

    • Other

  • Other Board Member Updates

RECAP / NOTES from January Meeting

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to include Chairperson Updates in future agendas as proposed

  • COMPLETED: Gustav to publish minutes from October, November and December Board Meetings as well as November Annual General Membership on-line with Imagine IT group.

  • IN PROCESS: Mickey to update VLPNO Annual Budget to include membership dues collection @ 90% of households.

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to follow-up with ‘Las Palmas Brewery’ to provide final confirmation and possibly purchase gift, gift certificate to raffle at the Social event

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to do all the preparations for Feb. 18th Social: sign-in cards, food, gift and set-up

  • COMPLETED: Board to finalize Social invite messaging to include topics listed above under Social

  • COMPLETED: Gustav to publish Social invite through Website, Email blast from website and NextDoor

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to send all VLPNO neighbor information databases to Kevin

  • COMPLETED: Kevin to consolidate VLPNO neighbor databases to create single master list

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to set-up PO Box for VLPNO mail and provide to Gustav to update website

    • New Address: 1717 E Vista Chino, Suite # A7-252, Palm Springs, CA 92262

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to send out Calendar Invite to the Board along with a GoToMeeting invite for February 13th Board Meeting Conference Call In #

 Introductions

  • The Board welcomed Rebecca May as a potential new member of the Board to replace Sheila Cobrin when Sheila moves to Chicago and withdraws from the Board

  • Sheila noted that her move date is now uncertain and that she will remain on the Board

  • The Board agreed to allow Rebecca to remain on the Board as an Advisor to the Board and a Board Member in waiting

  • Rebecca introduced herself on personal and professional background.

 Review/Approve Minutes from January 9th meeting

  • Board reviewed and unanimously approved minutes’ the January 9th, 2020 meeting

  • Gustav to publish minutes from January 9th, 2020 Board Meeting on-line working with Imagine IT group

Assignment of Board Member Roles

  • During the February Board meeting, Mickey Puig announced that he and his husband sold their Palm Springs house and will be leaving Palm Springs at the end of March

  • The Treasurer Board position will be vacant upon Mickey’s departure from the Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood

  • The current Board officer positions as follows:

    • Chairperson: Scott Turner

    • Vice-Chairperson: Gustav Swanson

    • Treasurer: Mickey Puig

    • Secretary: Kermit Ferrer

    • Members-At-Large: Sheila Cobrin, Sally Hightower and Kevin Comer

  • Kevin Comer spoke of his financial/accounting experience and volunteered to fill the soon to be vacant Treasurer position

  • Kermit proposed Kevin as suitable for the Treasurer position and the motion was seconded. Kevin accepted

  • Mickey and Kevin to work on transition of duties, accounts before the March meeting

  • Upon Mickey’s exit from the VLPNO, Rebecca will be offered as a Member-At-Large to the VLPNO Board

  • Sally Hightower volunteered to be the Social Coordinator under her member-at-large position. See further details under the ‘Social’ section

  • The Board finalized the new officer positions (as of Feb. 13th, 2020) as follows :

    • Chairperson: Scott Turner

    • Vice-Chairperson: Gustav Swanson

    • Treasurer: Kevin Comer

    • Secretary: Kermit Ferrer

    • Members-At-Large: Sheila Cobrin, Sally Hightower (Social Coordinator) and Mickey Puig

    • Board Advisor: Rebecca May

 Treasury

  • Mickey shared November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 Treasury reports

  • Our finances are healthy

  • Budget and funds allocation to be discussed at the March Board meeting

 MW2020 VLPNO Home Tour Update

  • Jeffrey Saadeh joined the Board to give us an update on the tour and shared summary of all activities with the Board prior to the meeting

  • Tour Name: Vista Las Palmas: The Alexander’s Jewel in the Crown Designed by William Krisel and Charles Du Bois

  • Reminded the Board that the tour is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday, February 15th

  • Six (6) Homes, Speakers, Volunteers Docents and Supplies confirmed

  • Jeffrey spoke of the Home Owner and Docent Education Luncheon he and Mickey hosted at their home on February 8th

  • Volunteer Status: Still need additional volunteers to be docents for the day of the tour. Follow-up call for volunteers to go out to the VLP neighbors. Kevin Comer said he would be a volunteer

  • Jeffrey spoke of the

  • Ticket Sales Report:

    • Original Ticket Qty: 400 (Sold out in December)

    • Additional Ticket Qty: 100 (Sold out in January)

    • Not counting day-off Sales. 498 tickets sold via modernism week. 2 reserved for MW Quality Control

    • No more tickets to be made available on-site MW2020

    • VLP will sell tickets day of the tour (100% of proceeds go to VLP)

  • Event financials (More detail on the event tracking documents prepared and presented by Jeffrey Saadeh:

    • Budget: $14,820

    • Estimate: $23,652

    • Actual to Date: $28,067

  • Jeffrey and Kermit to schedule an event post-mortem for the MW2020 Home Tour committee soon after the tour and separate from the VLPNO Board meeting

 Alexander Star Dedication Status

  • Kermit gave an update on the event to be held tomorrow, Friday, February 14th at 2:00pm

  • Location: 300 South Palm Canyon Drive up the street from the PS Architecture & Design Museum

  • Supporters: Vista Las Palmas, Twin Palms, Racquet Club Estates, Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, H3K and The Kaplan Group

  • Joan Gand will represent and speak on behalf of the VLP

  • Jill Kitnick (daughter of Robert and Helene Alexander) will be present

  • Other speakers: Geoff Kors & Ruta Lee

  • Everyone is invited to attend

 Social – Recap & Next Social

  • The Board talked about the success of the VLPNO January Social at Las Palmas Brewing on Saturday, January 18th (MLK weekend) a very good event with good attendance

  • The January Social included one free taco per person and raffle of a gift certificate to ‘Las Palmas’ brewery. Raffle item winner: Amy Brinkman

  • Kermit called out that we missed the objective of introductions of New Board Members to the VLP participating neighbors. Lesson learned to use the next VLPNO Social event to do this

  • Kevin took the sign-in cards from those who attended to update neighbor information (address & email)

Social – Next Social

  • Future possible venues:

    • V Wine Lounge

    • Venezia

    • Wexlers

    • Sandfish

    • Persimmon Bistro @ PS Museum

  • Kermit recommended that the Board attempt to host six (6) events a year. One every other month. The Board agreed to host the next event on Saturday, March 21st. Kermit said he would contact V Wine Lounge manager to get a quote for the event

  • confirmed having spoken to owner at Las Palmas Brewing (new brewery on N Palm Canyon Drive) for the next VLP Social on Saturday, January 18th (MLK weekend)

  • Kermit also asked for a volunteer for the VLPNO Social committee, previously held by Amy Brinkman. Kermit stated that his duties as secretary compounded with the Social event coordination was too much work for one volunteer based on the experience with the January Social. Kermit said that he is willing to assist with venue coordination and event activities however requested that someone take the lead with announcements, day pre-, during and post- activities. Sally Hightower volunteered to be the Social Coordinator under her member-at-large position.

 One-PS

  • Sheila and Kevin attended the February One-PS meeting

  • In their update they told us that One-PS that the following was covered: R/E market pricing report, Fire Department activities, One-PS events (ie. Picnic)

  • Kevin volunteered to fill Sheila’s position on the One-PS Ecology Committee (past projects of the Ecology Committee include the Leaf Blower Ordinance)

  • Kevin and Sheila asked the Board if the Board had any ideas for projects for the Ecology Committee

  • Kermit brought up the pavement issues/concerns on N Fair Circle given that re-paving of the streets in VLP was done in 2017/2018. Kevin commented that this is also occurring on his street: Coronet Circle

  • Sheila stated that this can’t be addressed through One-PS

  • The Board suggested reaching out to other neighborhoods to see if they are experiencing similar issues and if so, if we could band together to present to the city

  • Kermit volunteered to send email to participants of the Alexander Star dedication submitting photos and inquiring if they saw similar issues

 Communication

  • Gustav brought up topic of website updates and ImagineIT costs

  • Kermit suggested inviting Jeff Shotwell from ImagineIT to the next Board meeting to discuss how we could improve communication, website re-design, other communication methods and expenses

ACTION ITEMS:

  • Mickey & Kevin to coordinate transition of Treasurer responsibilities, accounts and budget creation

  • Kermit to reach out to VWine Lounge to request quote for hosting next VLPNO March Social and follow-up Sally for coordination

  • Kermit to follow-up with other PS neighborhoods on VLP pavement issues

  • Kermit & Kevin to canvas neighborhood and take photos of pavement demonstrating extensive stress

  • Kermit to invite Jeff Shotwell from ImagineIT to the next March Board Meeting

  • Kermit to send out Calendar Invite to the Board along with a GoToMeeting invite for March 12th Board Meeting